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The novel Mga Ibong Mandaragit was first published in 1969, a year before its author, National Artist for Literature Amado V. Hernandez died and about 13 years after being released from a five-and-a-half-year imprisonment due to charges of rebellion with murder, robbery and arson.
 

Social realism

The book about "neocolonial dependency and revolt" is a required reading for third year high school students, along with El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal.

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) said of Hernandez's novel - "Mga Ibong Mandaragit is the first Filipino socio-political novel that exposes the ills of the society as evident in the agrarian problems of the 50s."

Mga Ibong Mandaragit is a 416- page, 69-chapter narrative about the life and adventures of Mando 'Andoy' Plaridel (Alejandro Pamintuan), a helper of landlord and collaborator Don Segundo Montero.

Mando joined the war against the Japanese occupation, became a guerilla and helped enlighten and organize poor peasants against the landed Montero family. Using a map from Tata Matyas, Mando sought the lost treasure of El Filibusterismo's Padre Florentino. He sold the treasure and used the money to put up the newspaper Kampilan and Freedom University.

Other characters in the novel are Dr. Sabio, Karyo, Martin, Dolly and Puri. The novel is notable for its use of the Filipino language.

Parts of Mga Ibong Mandaragit were written while Hernandez was in prison and it was heavily inspired by his actual experiences as an intelligence officer in the guerrilla resistance movement during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

The novel is a literary interpretation and reflection of the socio-political situation during the 1940s to 1960s when nationalism and clamor for genuine independence from foreign domination was strong in the country.

In his critique of the book's epilogue that is written in English, E. San Juan wrote, "It is indeed an anomaly that this epilogue to a novel whose single, concentrated aim is to define the possibilities of freedom for a Filipino is written in the language of a former colonizer. Languages have each their own myths, history, and ideological orientation. And English is no exception. English, given its present decline and obsolescence in the nation, can never really express the native psyche, the Filipino experience in its place and time, as sincerely and effectively as (F)ilipino, except perhaps by denial and negation. One may suggest that nothing of any value can be gained except through denial and renunciation; but what value for human communication and communion can there be in falsehood or deception? I submit that this novel introduces itself on its terms as a work of art possessing in its form and texture a host of manifold implications that immediately transcend the realm of art. Mga Ibong Mandaragit is the first Filipino novel that has succeeded in giving us the true, disturbing image of ourselves and our experience."


Difficult to read?

Last year, the book became the subject of debate in the blogosphere after lawyer and blogger Connie Veneracion wrote in her Manila Standard column her views about the novel, her difficulties in understanding it and "the concept of creative writing and the effectiveness of words in relaying a message."

In her blog entry The Birds of Prey and Batjay, Veneracion said, "But "Mga Ibong Mandaragit" is of another genre. Had it been written in English, the reader would easily get the impression that the writer had a Thesaurus by his side and he intentionally sought unfamiliar synonyms for the more familiar words in order to sound profound. A case of substance muddled by incomprehensible form."

Several bloggers answered Veneracion's column, including Robert Anonuevo, Exie Abola of the Philippine Star and Zarah Gagatiga. Filipinolibrarian compiled some of the other reactions and exchanges of opinions about the book.

This prompted Veneracion to answer through her column piece titled "Tyranny of the insecure."

The controversy even led to a new blog, ibongmandaragit.com that attempts to encourage readers to further understand the book. Academec.info even noted "One upside of the brouhaha is that a new blog was born. Ibong Mandaragit, as a blog, hopes to bring the novel, written half a century ago, to the techie-driven man of today. It purports to make a 'hard' read accessible, relevant and maybe even fun."

Readers, mostly high school students who have read the book and reviewed it as part of their academic requirements posted their comments about the book at goodreads.com. Excerpts of the book can be read at another site.


Work of a national artist

Despite the online arguments over the book, Amado V. Hernandez remains an influential figure in Philippine literature.

An entry at the NCCA website said, "Amado V. Hernandez, poet, playwright, and novelist, is among the Filipino writers who practiced "committed art". In his view, the function of the writer is to act as the conscience of society and to affirm the greatness of the human spirit in the face of inequity and oppression. Hernandez's contribution to the development of Tagalog prose is considerable - he stripped Tagalog of its ornate character and wrote in prose closer to the colloquial than the "official" style permitted."

In his blog, Sonny San Juan described Hernandez as "the most serviceable Filipino revolutionary artist of the twentieth-century whose poetry, fiction, and plays in Filipino (the national language of 80 million Filipinos) continue to inspire the popular struggle for national democracy and genuine independence against U.S. imperialism."

Hernandez's other works include Bayang Malaya, Isang Dipang Langit, Luha ng Buwaya, Amado V. Hernandez: Tudla at Tudling: Katipunan ng mga Nalathalang Tula 1921-1970, Langaw sa Isang Basong Gatas at Iba Pang Kuwento ni Amado V. Hernandez, Magkabilang Mukha ng Isang Bagol at Iba Pang Akda ni Amado V. Hernandez.

A research institution and a literary award was founded on his behalf.

Photo: “Brahminy Kite” by Joby Joseph, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved